Bonding
by Venessa112
Summary: When partying in a bar Ace and Marco have a very interesting fight while bonding.  No Yaio just friendsship. Rating for inappropiate hints and some swearing.


"Oi, that's my grog asshole."

"Girls come here I got a lap open for you."

"More food! I haven't had any good food in weeks."

"Oi Oi, what's wrong with my cooking?"

Noise bellowed out of the rowdy bar in a small port. Earlier that day two ships baring Whitebeard's mark docked at the port after traveling the Grand Line for six days straight. Inside the bar now, sat two of the biggest names in piracy: Whitebeard's first two commanders, Marco the Phoenix and Fire Fist Ace. The two were sitting at a long table surrounded by quite a few crewmembers. The bar women seemed to be in heaven as they mixed with the pirates. Most of the women were surrounding the two commanders refilling their drinks as fast as they could gulp them down. The large noisy group ate and made merry as the women tried even harder to make advances towards Ace, who seemed to be giving them the cold shoulder.

"Oh~ Ace why are you ignoring me~."

"Don't even try I called him."

"Ace-san can I sit on your lap." The girls argued and fawned over the oblivious man. Giving a hum Ace tilted his head in their direction. The girls cringed slightly at all the food stuffed in his mouth: a chicken leg, a few pieces of ham, two biscuits, and something else they couldn't distinguish. Not wanting to give up on the man the girls continued.

A little girl hiding behind the bar was peering at the obnoxious group as they ate like they haven't had food in months. Hands were flying, mouths were flapping or chewing, the men were stealing food from others as those said others stole food from them. They stuffed their faces with as much food as they could, as if they were competing to see who could most resemble a chubby chipmunk. Gulping on nothing, the girl inched around to the front of the counter, her back glued to the bar. She was scared but she was also a curious child, and like any child she pushed her fear to the back of her mind to cure her curiosity. She looked around her before she slowly advanced towards one of the sailors that seemed to be observing rather than participating.

"Umm…" The little girl muttered as she reached up to tap his leg. The man sat up and looked at his crew before turning to look down at the little girl.

"Umm…hi." He replied slightly confused. "Ain't you a little young to be in a bar girl? What are ya doing here?" He asked softly as not to scare her. Sure he was a pirate but Whitebeard's pirates didn't scare little kids. She shook slightly before balling her fists with courage. He was a pirate but he didn't look that scary.

"My daddy owns the bar. We live upstairs; I came down because I wanted to know who was shouting." She looked down at her feet running out of her earlier courage. The man, though, just smiled at her and laughed.

"Is that so, are we to rowdy for ya."

"No…no I was just curious." She muttered quietly. "May I ask you something?" She almost cried.

"Aye, whatcha need?" She smiled again as he gently laid his hand on head trying to reinsure her.

"Why are they eating like that?" She motioned towards the rest of the group. "You're pirates right. Don't you eat when you're out at sea?" The man looked to his crew before turning to her and giving a hearty laugh.

"Of course we do. That's a silly thing ta ask?"

"Well it's just they are eating so much at once and stealing food from each other."

"That's just their way of bonding."

"Bonding?"

"Aye bonding. Become closer. Everyone on this ship find brothers in their crewmates. Families always have different ways of bonding. Don't yours?"

"Well, we always eat lunch together. Most of my friends eat dinner with their families, but we can't because that's when daddy and mommy open the bar."

"Well most family's eat together or even friends, that's not the bonding part. Does ya family talk while eating?" The girl nodded. "There…that's your bonding."

"If they are trying to bond why don't they just talk like us?"

"To many people, it wouldn't be for everyone or people won't get it. Your family is smaller than this group, it's easier to talk."

"You mean have a conversation." She corrected. "They are talking, it's just not being answered really, but I guess they aren't questions."

"Aye that's it. You're a smart one. Got a lot of schooling I'm guessing. We can't have a conversation with this many people."

"You can if you take turns."

"Aye but none of these bastards don't want to shut up long enough for that." The man laughed. "This is our way of bonding. We bond through stealing, choking, drinking, laughing, insulting, and well everythin ya see here."

"Why aren't you bonding?"

"I usually do. Just not in the mood tonight."

"Ok, they look funny."

"Aye they do. Sometimes they do other things, just observe, ya might see something funny. Can't promise ya'll understand it but ya may." She smiled at him giving a sharp nod.

"Naomi get over here now." An older man called from behind the bar.

"But daddy I want to watch the bonding." She cried but he came out a grabbed her arm leading her back to the stairs. Ace looked up as the man pulled a small girl away from the table.

"Ace~. Would you like some more alcohol~?" Said one of the bar maids who seemed to have slipped onto his lap during the pirate and little girl's conversation. He just held up his mug as she poured some beer into it from the pitcher in her hands.

"Ace got himself a girl this time." One of the sailors cried.

"Ah shut up." Ace muttered.

"What does he not usually have girls. He had about six around him earlier." One of the newest crewmembers asked.

"Naw…Ace usually ignores them or turns them down."

"Oi, I'm right here, shut up!" Ace shouted.

"Why would you turn down all the girls?" The rookie asked

"Just don't feel like having a girl usually."

"What do you do to get rid of them usually? It seemed earlier they wouldn't leave you alone even when you did turn them down." He asked still curious why any guy would turn down so many women.

"I usually pretend I'm gay and pull this pipsqueak on my lap." Ace motioned to a smaller sailor that was arguing with Marco. It got quiet as they all stared at the guy.

"It's awkward." He muttered quietly before the whole group burst out laughing.

"It's not like it means anything, I just don't want to be bugged." Ace muttered in return.

"How is it awkward?" Marco laughed as he poked the small guy. "Is it hard to have a conversation like that…did something awkward 'pop' up?" Marco hinted as he gave Ace a mischievous grin. A vein popped out on Ace's forehead as he took bite of his chicken wing. Everyone cracked up again as Ace quickly stood up knocking his chair back and sending the woman on his lap to the floor.

"What was that Marco?" Ace yelled.

"Oh sorry didn't know you were losing your hearing. I said, 'DID SOMETHIN…" Marco started before a half eaten chicken leg collided with his face.

"Don't say it again you asshole."

"Don't say what? You didn't even hear what I said the first time."

"I heard you."

"Then why did you ask?"

"Shut up!" Ace yelled as he picked up another very large chicken leg and started to eat all the meat off of it. Marco just stared at him with a small grin.

"Oh food." A large man behind Marco chirped as he bent over to grab the large half eaten chicken leg that just bounced off his commander's face. Everyone turned to him with an odd look. "What?" He shrugged. "I don't want to waste food and a chicken leg is a chicken leg." He defended himself before taking a big bite out of the leg. Marco just raised a brow before turning to Ace to see he had finished his chicken leg and now had his knife pulled out to carve the end of the large bone into a sharp point.

"Hmmm…" Marco hummed before he grabbed the end of the chicken bone handing out of the bigger man's mouth. He swiftly pulled it out of the man's mouth and looked it over to see if any meat was left. It was clean so he grabbed a knife from a man standing next to him and started to also carve a sharp point into the end of the bone. Ace eyes shifted to look at Marco. He smiled and made one last swipe with his knife before returning it to its rightful place on his waist.

Ace stood up slowly and put his right foot up on the table before sneering at Marco. Said man just smiled in return before he motioned the girls off his lap. The girls got up as he rose from his chair and climbed on top of the table. Ace joined him as they stood a few feet to the side of each other with their hands, holding the sharp chicken bones, crossed behind their backs that faced the opposite edges of the table. They side glanced each other as the rest of the crew closed in around the table. The room because silent before Ace spoke up.

"You have dishonored my name with your comment earlier. You are also a disgrace to Whitebeard's crew, so I challenge you to a duel." He said in a husky voice, every word though was sharp and harsh as to overemphasize the challenge. The crowd oowed playing along. Marco raised his empty hand to silence the crew. After they quieted down he put his hand behind his back. The crew looked to him in anticipation. Marco just glanced at Ace through the corner of his eye.

"So we must fight now? You challenge me?" He replied copying Ace's tone. "I accept your duel because…because I think this will be a lot of fun." He said in the same tone sounding serious as he quickly pulled the chicken bone out to pick some meat out of his teeth before he hid it behind his back again. The two continued to stare at each other down as the crew looked about ready to burst from holding in their laughter at the 1st commander's comeback. The two commanders' lips started quiver slightly before they both almost double over with laughter.

"On Guard!" They yelled in unison as they jumped into position. Their feet spread as they crossed chicken bone 'swords' glaring at each other. The crew cheered as the two started to fight. Bones clashed making very little noise actually, but that didn't matter, the men themselves made enough noise to make up for it. One would trust his 'sword' forward as the other pulled back and blocked. This continued on until Ace started to get the upper hand forcing Marco towards the edge of the table and the crew. No matter how hard he tried he could get Ace to give up the ground he had gained. He jabbed at him but he seemed to block everything.

"Give up yet Marco." Ace smirked.

"Never!" He called. Ace just grinned and thrust his chicken bone forward. Marco failed to block so he tried to pull back and dodge only to find his foot half off the table. He lost his balance and fell off the table. The crew not wanting it to be over caught Marco half fall and nudged him back on his feet on top of the table. He swung his arms to gain his balance back before he smiled back at Ace. "I ain't out yet." He laughed as the crew cheered. Ace pursed his lips at his men that helped Marco back up.

"Traitors." He muttered before jumping back to dodge Marco's attack. "Bring it on. I'll knock you down again with ease." He cried as he crouched getting into stance. Marco just started a new assault on Ace. A few minutes later Ace had Marco cornered again. Marco thrust at him but Ace easily dodged before jabbing at Marco poking him in the chest with the sharp bone. The fight was over. Marco grabbed the bone holding it to his chest pretending he was stabbed and actually hurt.

"I've lost. My life is done. I now stare at my men through my dying eyes. I beg of them. AVENGE ME!" He cried out playing out a long winded death scene before letting his head fall and his eyes close.

"And you called me gay." Ace muttered as he watched his friend's pitiful acting. A vein pulsed in Marco's head.

"Ehhh…you want to say that again?" He called.

"Oh sorry, didn't know you were losing your hearing." Ace mocked him.

"Bastard." He said through clenched teeth.

"Ya but you know what?" Marco just stared at him. "I WON!" Ace cried in joy. "Drinks and food are on Marco."

"I never agreed to that!"

* * *

I know they may be a little OOC but I think they would be playful when in a large group. No, Whitebeard isn't with them, and the only ones in the scene that have a name are Ace and Marco, and the little girl, because they are the only ones in the partying group that were given names in the series.

I hope you enjoyed this story I just something that popped into my head and It's a little different writing for me I think I havn't done an action scene before…if you can even call that an action scene.

Please review.


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